THE JOURNEY
Four Cusco icons in one journey: the capital's City Tour, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain. History, spirituality and adventure woven into one unforgettable experience.
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THE ROUTE
Morning | Arrival at Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport (3,400 m)
On your arrival to the Imperial City, the Machupicchu Glory team will welcome you at Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport and transfer you comfortably to your hotel. We recommend spending the morning resting and acclimatizing: walking slowly, staying hydrated and sipping a coca-leaf tea will help your body adjust to the altitude before the adventure begins.
01:00 pm | Pick-up for the half-day City Tour
Once you feel refreshed, we will pick you up from your hotel to explore the historic heart of Cusco. In the Plaza de Armas, the ancient Inca ceremonial center, you will discover the majestic Cathedral, home to priceless canvases of the Cusco School (Escuela Cusqueña) and a beautifully carved choir. We then continue to the Qorikancha, or Temple of the Sun, whose polished mortar-free walls support the Santo Domingo convent, a perfect symbol of two worlds meeting.
Afternoon | Archaeological circuit on the outskirts
We will climb to Sacsayhuamán (3,700 m), the colossal ceremonial fortress of Pachacútec, with its zigzag walls of blocks weighing up to 125 tons and reaching 9 meters, the stage of the famous Inti Raymi festival. Next we visit Qenqo, a limestone shrine devoted to Pachamama and the Andean worldview; Puca Pucara, the "red fortress" that served as a checkpoint; and Tambomachay, the refined water temple with its fountains and canals.
06:30 pm | Return to the hotel
At sunset we head back to the city, closing a first day filled with history and the spirit of the guardian apus.
06:30 am – 07:00 am | Hotel pick-up
Early in the morning we will pick you up for a full 11 to 12-hour day across the Sacred Valley of the Incas, a fertile corridor where Andean culture still thrives in every village.
Morning | Chinchero, Moray and the Maras Salt Mines
We begin in Chinchero (3,700 m), the "land of the rainbow", a renowned textile center where weavers demonstrate the natural dyeing of wool; its colonial church rises over a former Inca palace. We continue to Moray (3,500 m), an astonishing Inca agricultural laboratory of concentric circular terraces up to 30 meters deep, where microclimates reach temperature differences of up to 15 °C. Around 11:00 we reach the Maras Salt Mines, over 3,000 pools fed by a salty spring that families have worked since pre-Inca times to harvest the prized pink salt.
Midday | Buffet lunch in Urubamba
We will recharge with a delicious buffet lunch in Urubamba, in the mild heart of the valley.
Afternoon | Ollantaytambo and Pisac
We visit Ollantaytambo, a living Inca town and fortress-temple whose terraces lead up to the Temple of the Sun with its six red porphyry monoliths. Around 16:40 we arrive at Pisac, with its vast agricultural terraces and pre-Columbian cemetery carved into the hillside.
Evening | Return to Cusco
As night falls we begin the journey back to the city, our hearts full of landscapes and living traditions.
04:00 am – 05:30 am | Pick-up according to train schedule
The most anticipated day begins before dawn. We will pick you up from your hotel and hand you your box lunch for the journey to the jewel of the Andean world.
Morning | Transfer and panoramic train
We transfer to Ollantaytambo (about 1 hr 45) to board the PeruRail panoramic train, which in roughly 1 hr 45 travels through the spectacular canyon of the Urubamba River. In Aguas Calientes we take the bus that climbs in zigzags for 25 minutes up to the entrance of the citadel (2,430 m).
Mid-morning | Guided tour of Machu Picchu
For 2 to 2.5 hours we will walk Circuit 2 with our guide. You will discover the semicircular Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana or solar clock, the Temple of the Three Windows, the main plaza, and the agricultural and urban sectors, with unbeatable viewpoints toward Huayna Picchu. This 15th-century masterpiece, commissioned by Pachacútec, embodies the full grandeur of Andean engineering and worldview.
Midday | Free time in Aguas Calientes
We descend to the town to enjoy free time and have lunch at your own pace.
04:30 pm | Return train
Around 16:30 we take the train back to Ollantaytambo, where our transport will take you to Cusco, arriving between 20:00 and 21:00.
04:00 am – 05:00 am | Hotel pick-up
We set off on a 2 to 3-hour journey south of Cusco along the Cusco–Cusipata route, heading toward one of the most dazzling landscapes in the Andes.
06:30 am | Energizing breakfast in Cusipata
In Cusipata / Chirihuani (3,310 m) we enjoy a hearty breakfast before the hike.
Morning | Ascent to the Vinicunca viewpoint
A vehicle takes us to the base camp, passing through the Pitumarca / Chillihuani checkpoint (4,650 m). From there we begin an ascent of about 1.5 hours over steep terrain, with the option to ride on horseback. At the top, the Vinicunca viewpoint (5,050 – 5,200 m) unfolds its astonishing range of greens, reds, ochres, golds and turquoises, the result of iron and copper oxides. Straight ahead rises the snow-capped Ausangate (6,384 m), the region's sacred guardian apu. We will have around 30 minutes at the summit to take unforgettable photographs.
Midday | Descent and lunch in Cusipata
After the descent we return to Cusipata to recharge with an Andean buffet lunch.
04:30 pm – 06:00 pm | Return to Cusco
In the afternoon we begin the journey back to the Imperial City, with this otherworldly landscape etched in your memory.
Morning | Breakfast and free time
On your last morning in the Imperial City you will enjoy a relaxed breakfast at the hotel. We suggest making the most of your free time to wander through the picturesque San Blas neighborhood, home to renowned artisans, or the lively San Pedro Market, perfect for picking up textiles and souvenirs. You may also stroll once more through the colonial historic center and say goodbye to its cobblestone streets.
Midday | Checkout
You will check out of the hotel (until noon). If your flight departs later, we can store your luggage so you can keep enjoying the city with peace of mind.
According to your flight | Airport transfer
Approximately 2 hours before your flight, our team will pick you up for the private transfer to Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport. Here our services come to an end, with the certainty that you carry with you the magic and the timeless spirit of Cusco. See you soon!
THE DETAILS
Before You Go
MOMENTS ALONG THE WAY
TRAVELER STORIES
“Every detail felt considered before we even asked — the private train car, the guide who knew we loved photography and timed our arrival for the light. This is how Machu Picchu should be seen.”
“No crowds, no rush — just the two of us and nine hundred years of stone in the morning mist. Worth every mile.”
